10 Times WWE Actually Elevated Midcarders To Become WWE Champions
From cowpoke to cash cow.
Ask pretty much any wrestling fan about one of their favourites and they'll say something to the effect of, 'Oh, he should be WWE Champion at some point'. This obsession with giving everyone in sight a shot of the top title has arguably hurt what was once dubbed the "richest prize in sports entertainment".
Rushing through unforeseen champs in search of box office dollars is hardly a new thing however.
Every worker on this list went through some kind of midcard hell before they were given a chance to dine at the top table. They all had to live through life far away from the glory of that WWF/WWE Title - sometimes, that mediocrity actually suited their characters. Other times, it was because Vince McMahon just didn't see them as World Champ material.
Something changed though. The Vin-man must've switched tact, because every single one of them went on to win the top belt at some point in their careers. As a result, none of them were ever viewed the same way again. That's not to say they didn't return to the midcard after enjoying top billing...